LOCAL cricket's longest-serving sponsors, Darlington Building Society, have extended their record by backing the North Yorkshire and South Durham Premier League for the 14th successive year.

The league, which got under way last month, consists of 25 teams based throughout the region from Barnard Castle to Redcar, with many teams representing towns which are also homes to branches of Darlington Building Society.

The league has welcomed a new president this season in Chris West, following the retirement of Ken Gardner.

Mr West said: "Having been involved in a number of early sponsorship discussions in the Nineties, it was a great source of pleasure to me, upon being elected as president, to know that Darlington Building Society is continuing its unstinting support of the league.

David Copland, marketing and communications manager at Darlington Building Society, said: "For the past 13 years we have cherished our association with the NYSD Premier Cricket League and we look forward to another exciting season."